Rania gracefully took the offered seat, smoothing her blazer as she settled. She folded her hands in her lap, presenting a picture of perfect composure.
"Let me start with what Nebula Academy is offering you," she began, her tone crisp and professional. "First of all, we offer you a full-ride scholarship that includes tuition, room and board, and a generous monthly stipend for living expenses and resource acquisition. Access to our dungeon facilities and training grounds. And, of course, personalized mentorship. But even more importantly, you will be granted significant autonomy over your schedule and curriculum. We understand that unique Classes like yours often require... unconventional development paths."
Nael listened, his expression neutral but his mind racing. This was far beyond the standard recruitment package, even for an Epic Class, let alone a Common one. And... It seems like his earlier guess about them knowing something was right.
'Oho~' Seeing his calm, analytical silence instead of eager acceptance, Rania's smile widened into something more genuine and knowing. "I knew you weren't someone stupid who would be swayed by material offers alone." She paused, leaning forward slightly. "You... still want to enroll in the Summit, right?"
Nael didn't see a point in lying. "Yes."
She chuckled softly and leaned forward, her eyes capturing his completely, her voice dropping to a more confidential tone. "What if... what if I said we—no, I—can enroll you there?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Nael's features, but it was quickly masked. His guard, already up, now went to its highest setting. Such an offer from a student of a rival academy was too good to be true.
"What's the catch?" he asked, his voice flat. "Surely, you're not giving everything away for free."
Her mysterious smile didn't waver. "Well, it's simple. You just have to become stronger and prove your worth. You will also have to spend your first year at the Nebula Academy. If you show the 'good results', which I know you're capable of, I will personally handle and guarantee your transfer to the Summit."
"I see," Nael nodded slowly, processing the proposition. It was a delayed path, but a guaranteed one. The logic was sound, but there was one issue left - the feasibility.
"How can I believe you? Do you have the authority to make that happen?" Nael met her gaze directly. "And please don't be offended, but you look no older than us, perhaps one or two years senior. This seems like a promise far beyond an ordinary student's reach. Unless..." Nael trailed off, letting her put the pieces together by herself.
Rania's smile turned approving, as if he'd passed another test. "You are as sharp as I thought." She leaned back in her chair, her posture shifting from that of a peer to someone revealing their true stature. "So, let me introduce myself once again, properly this time."
She paused for effect, the air in the room seeming to still.
"My full name is Rania Ir'Thalion. My grandfather is Ayan Ir'Thalion, the current Principal of the Irgali Summit Awakened Academy." She let the weight of the name hang in the silence. "And I assure you, I have the full authority and capability to do exactly what I've said. This is not an 'ordinary' student's boast. It is a promise from the world's strongest academy's Principal's heir."
Nael gave a slow, thoughtful nod. He had anticipated something like this, but he still couldn't help but be surprised. And the Principal's granddaughter, recruiting for a rival academy? The implications were fascinating. A part of him was surprised by the sheer scale of the revelation, but his face remained indisturbed.
However, Mira, who had been a silent, wide-eyed observer until now, reacted with the force of a thunderclap.
She shot up from her seat, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Her hand trembled as she pointed at Rania, her eyes wide with utter disbelief.
"You...! Y-you're that Rania ir'Thalion? The... the Legendary Class? The Prodigy who refused the Summit?!"
Nael glanced at his childhood friend, and a quiet chuckle escaped his lips, though he kept it entirely inward. 'Ah, of course.' He knew all too well about Mira's one-year-long idol. She'd called Rania her "role model" more than once, someone who chose her own path despite overwhelming pressure.
Ever since news broke about a girl awakening a Legendary Class and then shocking the entire world by choosing to attend an ordinary academy instead of the Summit, Mira had followed every scrap of information she could find about her.
That's why the shock must have been twofold for her - meeting her idol in person, and discovering that same idol was here, in this hospital room, recruiting her childhood friend.
Rania turned her calm gaze to Mira, offering a gentle, almost apologetic smile. "I see my reputation precedes me. Though I prefer to think I didn't 'refuse' the Summit so much as I chose a different path to prove a point."
Her eyes then returned to Nael, the full weight of her identity now laid bare between them.
"So, Mr. Nael. Do you believe I have the authority now?"
"..." Nael met Rania's expectant gaze, his expression thoughtful.
"I do," he said simply.
But internally, his mind was already working. He had one more tool at his disposal, one that could give him a clearer picture of exactly what, or who, he was dealing with.
'[Investment Appraisal],' he thought, activating his skill while maintaining eye contact with Rania.
The familiar sensation washed over him, and information began to materialize in his mind's eye, overlaying his vision of the blue-haired girl before him.
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
[Investment Appraisal: Rania Ir'Thalion]
Target Assessment:
Name: Rania Ir'Thalion
Class: [???] (Legendary)
Level: 39
Current Value: Immeasurable
Potential: [ERROR]
Growth Trajectory: Non-Linear / Context-Dependent
Investment Analysis:
Risk Level: UNKNOWN
Return Potential: CANNOT CALCULATE
Compatibility: [PARADOXICAL]
Notice:
- Warning: Target possesses abilities that interfere with standard evaluation protocols. Investment assessment is compromised by the target's inherent nature. Recommend extreme caution or alternative evaluation methods.
Partial Observations:
- Target's power operates on fundamentally different principles than typical combat Classes
- Synergy potential exists but cannot be quantified
- Investment may yield unprecedented returns OR produce unpredictable results
- Target is actively observing YOU during this appraisal
━━━ ◇ ◆ ◇ ━━━
Nael's eyes widened fractionally. That last line sent a chill down his spine.
'She... She knows I'm appraising her?!'